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Sunday, December 30, 2012

Christmas Week

Christmas in Botswana was pretty low-key. The several of the children in the apartment complex received water guns. Pretty snazzy water guns at that. (It was close to 100). In the stores there wasn't much Christmas music and people didn't seem to be buying lots of gifts. Of course, not many people have much extra money to spend but it's also not as commercialized here.

On Christmas, we had the East Bots and West Bots Zones as well as the senior couples at our house for a devotional (We had almost 40 people here.) We had a lot of fun listening to music, watching skits and reading the scriptures. After, we went to the Taylor's flat for our Mexican Feast. Yummy food. Lots of good company. Then off to skype with our children. (But first, the missionaries used our computers to visit with their families.)

We also had "snow" for Christmas. OK, at 100 degrees, it wasn't snow but thousands of small white butterflies. They were gorgeous! It did make our holidays happy.

Topping of the holidays was getting the stomach yuck." What's a good holiday with out it? One of our elders got sick during the feast and one that night. When I had chatted with the second sick elder for the 4th time and he was still ill, I prescribed "Medicine Coke". He was pretty surprised and I don't know if he got any, but the next day he was out working even though he was still throwing up. Elder Gubler got "it" next so we missed the trip the SA. On Thursday, noon, we had lunch with another senior couple who was up from SA on business. We had actually flown out of SLC together. Anyway, after hugs and lots of hand shaking, we found out they had the "stomach yuck". *sigh* The next day I got "it". Good thing we stayed home.

Not too much exciting to tell this week, so I'm going to post pictures that have needed posting for quite awhile. *Note: the day of transfers, the elders took pictures with the Lobatse car wearing their shades and pointing out the rims.

Lobatse Church Building, in front, the chapel and in the back are the classrooms

The is the building we meet in for church every Sunday. The main chapel (a double wide on concrete) does have two air conditioning units and several fans. The electric piano doesn't work because the power box is broken. We are going to try and replace that this week. In the classroom area, the Primary room is next to the RS room and the only thing between the two are bars (where the windows should be) and curtains. Not too sounds proof. The Bishop did say that there is another keyboard that we can use for Primary. Yea! Our facilities are much better than Molepolole, it only has a concrete rectangle with a couple of classroom and Mochudi has a tent with classroom in a back building.

Here is the infamous Lobatse car. Oh how Elder Stamp, the Zone Leader hated them but oh how the other elders loved them. We weren't too surprised to find out that everyone in the mission had heard about them. Elder Verde says that because of the rims, more non-members have noticed the missionaries and they have been able to teach more people. (I guess we'll find out what the Mission President thinks about them this week when he's down for Zone Interviews.) Greenie Mistake. What more can be said?

Elder Gubler with Pres. and Sister Omer overlooking Jo-burg

Here is Elder Gubler with the Omers. We were at the Johannesburg Temple grounds. Jo-burg is in the background. The temple is a beautiful but small building. The parking is underground and there is a security guard as you drive into the parking area. There grounds are quite small but beautiful. Here is Africa, a couple is married civilly first and then goes to the temple shortly there after to be sealed.

Elder Gubler walking off the plane in Gabs

We arrived in Gaborone Nov 23, just a day after Thanksgiving. We had a very short flight.

Taylors, Rands and Kimballs

This is a picture of the other senior couples in Gabs.We are taking the place of Elder and Sister Kimball. They ended up leaving a bit early because of some health issues Sister Kimball has. Here we are saying goodbye at the airport. Oh wait, you can't see us because we're taking pictures!

Saw this Ence truck at Game Mall

Who would have thought we could find an Ence Truck in Gaborone? I just had to take a picture of it. Don't have any idea what they were hauling but really? An Ence Truck!

This picture is for you, Nate. The Gaborone College of Law, situated over a petrol station. Just had to take a picture for you.

Here is our all-country picture we had taken when our Mission President and Area Authority came to visit. If you look closely to the left back row, those two white heads are ours. Great photography wouldn't you say?

About Me

My husband and I are serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints here in Botswana. We have been here since 5 Nov 2012. We love Botswana and the people. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a wonderful message and we love sharing it and working with the new members of the Church. We are having experiences that we never would have in the United States and enjoy writing about them.